Students, professors, familiar and unfamiliar faces were surrounding the flag pole standing in the middle of the quad. The cold weather brought people together forming a circle, everybody holding a candle. They were holding it firmly but carefully. People were protecting the weak flame that illuminated the dark night. The wind was trying to find its way through people`s hands, but without success.

I thought about the flame as the peace in the world, fragile. It was fighting against the wind not to be extinguished. The peace of our world is in danger. Fear is what is putting in risk that light. Fear of what we do not understand or of the unknown. How do people confront this fear? Most commonly by shooting it down.

How much blood has been shed?

How many people fought in the past to build up this peace that now we are tearing apart.

Haven`t we learned from the mistakes of the past?

When one candle went out, immediately the person next to them lit it again. There is not much we can do to help victims in Paris and Iran. However, that does not mean that we should just cross our arms and watch all of this happen. It is not enough to change a profile picture with the flag of France on the background. The real change comes within the community and yourself. We can light up the flame for those who have lost it.

It does not need to be something huge in order to make an impact.

I recently interviewed Craig Hovey, director of the Ashland Center for Non-Violence and a religion professor, and he said something that made me reflect. He asked me who we want to be as a campus.

Do we want to be part of a place where race, religion, ethnicity defines to whom we smile at? I am sure the answer is no. This is why is important to realize that we need to work together to maintain this peace.

Think about yourself as those hands surrounding the candle`s flame, protecting it. How do we do this? It could be as simple as an act of kindness. The vigil is a perfect example; just by taking a few minutes of our busy schedules to come together not only as a community but as human beings is a way to keep that flame alive.